#enrollment-trends

#enrollment-trends

Fall student enrollment across California State University grew for the second year in a row while international student enrollment dropped, according to newly released university data. Data released Monday revealed a 2% increase in the number of students enrolled at California State University for the fall 2025 semester, with 471,451 total students up from 461,612 students last year. The second year of increased enrollment follows two years of post-pandemic declines.

Between concerns about international student enrollment and continued skepticism about the value of higher education, some institutions are struggling to fill seats. Unexpected melt has prompted some wealthy, highly selective institutions to pull students off the wait list last minute; for smaller institutions, enrollment declines are leading to layoffs and program cuts. But for a lucky share, fall 2025 has brought record freshman classes and soaring enrollment projections.

Grass Valley Elementary School experienced a 40% drop in enrollment from 2019 to 2024 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and fears surrounding potential school closure.

"State appropriations per student at community colleges dropped by 3 percent and rose 1.8 percent at four-year institutions, indicating a disparity in funding allocation."